Trial by Fire
by nephedra
Summary: Mark's first few months at the Academy are no picnic, especially with Col. Cronus around.
1. Chapter 1

The story focus is on Mark's first few months at the Academy and his relationship with Cronus.

A little about my BOTP universe….

This is set in a time before the team was on active duty. An arbitrary year was set for this story even though there is not year given in BOTP. The team is in high school or the Academy (depending on the character). Tiny is a year ahead of Mark at the Academy (hey, the big guy had to go to the Academy too). The team lives in a town called Crown Point, Oregon on the coast; they have not yet moved to Center City.

The BOTP characters are not mine, the others are.

Occasional mild language.

This is my first fanfic I have ever finished and shared. Many thanks go to Pintail for beta reading. Your comments are most welcome.

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**Trial by Fire**

Chapter 1

The lounge was nothing special. It had the standard white walls, an uncomfortable couch, a few chairs, a card table, and a small vid screen that always had the news on with closed captioning and no sound. Mark was lying on the couch with his hands behind his head and eyes closed. He wasn't sleeping; he was trying to relax enough to meditate without much success. Pete and Tom, casually dressed in muddy shorts and t-shirts, came in from outside tossing a football back and forth. Tom launched it at Mark and it landed squarely on his stomach.

Mark grunted and sat up reflexively throwing the ball back at his assailant. "What was that for?" he growled.

"Just wanted to see if you were alive." Tom grinned as he caught the football.

"Yeah, you okay?" Pete asked with concern.

"Why is everyone asking me that? I'm fine," Mark replied, a bit irritated. He had lost track on how many times he had been interrupted that afternoon with that very question.

Tom and Pete exchanged a knowing look.

"He really let into you today. That's all everyone has been talking about all afternoon." Pete walked over and sat in the tired lounge chair across from Mark.

"That's not all they're talking about. How did you do it?" Tom asked. "You tagged him today. No one has ever done that. I want to know how you did it so I can get him next week."

Mark ran his hand through his hair and a small smile crossed his face as he remembered the events of earlier. Cronus had him in sights from the start; a quick 180 roll and fast decent followed by an abrupt change in air speed was all it took to turn the tables, at least until they got back on the ground. His smile turned to a frown. That was when the yelling started. "Yeah I did, didn't I? That's _something_ good that came out of today." Mark leaned back on the couch in defeat.

"I don't know why you put up with him. It's like Col. Cronus has something against you. It's not right. If it were me I would go talk to the Dean." Pete had been trying to get Mark to talk to the Dean for two weeks now. The situation was bordering on ridiculous.

"But I am not you Pete. I will just stay out of his way for the next few days and it will pass. It always does."

"Yeah well let's hope you are still a student here in a few days."

-----------------------------

Anderson sat at his desk staring at the large pile of papers and the cup of steaming coffee on his desk wondering when his job description changed to paper pusher. He pulled another paper off the stack and signed his name by the sticky arrow put there by his administrative assistant. The sooner he finished the paperwork the sooner he could get back into the lab where the real work got done. He was thinking about buying a name stamp when his intercom buzzed.

"Yes Nancy."

"Sir, I have Col. Cronus on the line. He sounds a bit, how can I put this… annoyed."

Anderson sighed. It was never a good thing if Cronus was calling him. It was even worse if he was annoyed. "Put him through."

"To what do I owe this phone call?" Anderson tried to sound relaxed.

"Michael, that kid is going to be the death of me!"

Anderson raised his eyebrows and shook his head slightly, "What happened?"

"He has no fire. None. He just stands there and takes it. If you expect him to lead you can forget it. I have tried everything to draw him out, but it's like talking to a wall."

Anderson considered a moment. "Keep trying, but don't be too hard him. He has only been there a few months. Give him some time."

"We'll see, Michael. I am not sure pushing will be enough."

-----------------------------

Mark was reviewing his geometry homework for the next day later that evening in his small unadorned dorm room. _Cronus was an ass today. Maybe Pete had a point._ _Maybe Cronus does want me out of the Academy, _he thought. Mark couldn't focus on his studies so pushed one of the buttons on his desk to access the terminal. A portion of the desktop concomitantly slid back revealing the glass below.

To:princessA at pinkpassion  
Subject:just another crappy week  
Date: Monday, October 22, 2118 23:41:07

Hey Princess,

How are things back in Crown Point? Things here are…well…the same as last week. Cronus may be my idol, but he is such a jerk. If this keeps up he will definitely fall from idol status. What happened you ask? What did I do this time? Nothing wrong I assure you (stop shaking your head, I'm serious). I tagged him in a combat game today. I tagged him. You should have seen his face. He was shocked. Hell, I was shocked. I admit I pulled a non-standard maneuver to get him, but it wasn't like it was dangerous. Not really. Okay, maybe just a little. But still….I got him! What did I get for it? A whole lot of verbal abuse. Trust me, he has the Chief beat in this department by miles. He made a huge scene. These reprimands have always been in private in the past. You could only hear if you were the next guy in line outside his office. Today…it was out on the tarmac in front of everyone. Pete thinks Cronus is out to get me. I don't know what to think. Trials are coming up next month and they are not going to be fun.

-Mark

P.S. Say hi to Keyop.

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To: MarkTurner at Academy  
Subject: Re: just another crappy week  
Date: Tuesday, October 23, 2118 08:15:34

Dear Mark,

Things are good here at home, though it is not with same now that you have joined Tiny at the Academy. With both of you gone Jason now thinks he has to keep an eye on me. Like I need his help. Apparently he heard a rumor that Chris Maken was going to ask me out and that sent him into a fury. You know how he can get. Now he shadows me all over school. He is driving me crazy! Chris is harmless. Jason needs to get a new hobby.

Keyop says hi and wants to know when are you going to write to him? Tiny writes him almost everyday. In fact the Chief wouldn't mind a letter or two. Now before you get worked up….I haven't said anything about Cronus. I can't say that he doesn't know, but he didn't get it from me. Maybe you are over reacting? Maybe he just didn't like the thought of being bested by a student? I mean, if you were this legendary pilot would you want to be taken down by some high school kid? Keep smiling and things will be okay. I know you will pass the trials. I have faith in you.

Are you coming home this weekend? I have my ballet recital on Saturday. I would love it if you could come.

Love always,

Princess

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To:Jasonthehelldriver at allabout cars  
Subject: Fwd: Re: just another crappy week  
Date: Tuesday, October 23, 2118

princessA at pinkpassion wrote:

)Apparently he heard a rumor that Chris Maken was going to ask me out and that sent him into a fury. You know how he gets. Now he )shadows me all over school. He is driving me crazy! Chris is harmless.

Jason,

Who is this Chris guy anyway?

)Jason needs to get a new hobby.

I like your hobby. Keep it.

-Mark

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To: MarkTurner at Academy  
Subject: Chris the football star  
Date: Wednesday, October 24, 2118 01:15:20

Mark-

I thought you'd like it. He keeps my skills sharp since we have less training sessions now that you and Tiny are away. Chris is the new kid in town and the new wide receiver. He thinks he is the coolest guy in school. I assure you, he is not. I got him covered.

Hey I was thinking about what we talked about the other night. You might be right. It would be just like him to do that.

See you Friday, turkey.

-J

-----------------------------

It was late in the evening, almost time for lights out, and Mark was in the gym to let out some steam after another wonderful day in flight tactics class with the beloved Colonel. He had been there for over an hour taking full advantage of all the specialized equipment. After nearly wearing himself out on the set of uneven bars that he had set a bit higher than normal so he would have more room for full rotations from bar to bar he turned his attention to the new boxing buddy.

"Hey man, if you keep at it all the wiring will be on the floor," Tiny scolded jokingly as Mark rounded on the boxing buddy with one more kick. The boxing buddy fell backwards to the ground beeping and flashing.

"Better this thing than the Colonel." Mark grabbed the towel on the floor and dried the sweat from his face and bare chest.

Tiny frowned. He hated seeing his friend in distress. The first year at the Academy was hard, and Tiny had the scars to prove it. "Maybe you should just go talk to him," Tiny gently encouraged.

"Tiny, I know you mean well, but come on. He has a stick up his butt and it is so far up there no one will be able to pull it out."

_He's not the only one_, Tiny thought to himself rolling his eyes slightly. "But it can't keep going like this. He changes the courses on you at the last minute. How can you be expected to succeed? If he does that during the trials…I mean…" Tiny faltered.

"I'll say it for you. I'll fail. Just like I have failed everyday this week. One giant crash and burn." Mark moved his hand like a plane through the air accompanied by sound effects. Mark snickered, "And this has all been simulation. Imagine the skinning I would get if we were doing some of these courses for real."

Tiny winced at the thought.

-----------------------------

To: Jasonthehelldriver at allabout cars  
Subject: venting again  
Date: Thursday, October 24, 2118 23:15:22

Jason,

I am so angry I could spit nails. And no that won't make it better, so don't even suggest it. I would like to keep all of my teeth. Two hours in the gym and I am still pissed. If I hear that damn buzzer one more time I am gonna…well I don't know what, but I am sure something will come to me.

-Mark

BTW, do you know how to fix a boxing buddy?

-----------------------------

To: MarkTurner at Academy  
Subject: Re: venting again  
Date: Thursday, October 24, 2118 23:25:45

Nails huh? I wouldn't suggest nails either. You need long ones to do any damage, but you loose accuracy due to the weight. I would suggest dart shafts though. They are lighter and sharper. Maybe you can get some out of the common room for tomorrow? It really does sound like a good idea to me.

You will have to ask Princess on how to fix the robot. She has fixed ours a couple of times when I got a little carried away.

Hang in there. Just remember tomorrow is Friday!

-J

-----------------------------

To: Jasonthehelldriver at allaboutcars  
Subject: Re: venting again  
Date: Thursday, October 24, 2018 23:31:01

)Nails huh? I wouldn't suggest nails either. You need long ones to do any damage, but you loose accuracy due to the weight. I would suggest )dart shafts though. They are lighter and sharper.

I can't believe I am asking this question, but does this mean what I think it means?

-Mark

­­­­­­­­­­

-----------------------------

To: MarkTurner at Academy  
Subject: Re: venting again  
Date: Thursday, October 24, 2118 23:36:55

)Nails huh? I wouldn't suggest nails either. You need long ones to do any damage, but you loose accuracy due to the weight. I would suggest )dart shafts though. They are lighter and sharper.

)I can't believe I am asking this question, but does this mean what I think it means?

I can't believe you are asking either. (grin)

-J

-----------------------------

When the car pulled up the circular drive at the big Victorian house at the end of the block early Friday evening Keyop was right there waiting for it. Princess and Jason were sitting on the steps to the large wrap around porch. As soon as Tiny stepped out of the car Keyop tackled the unsuspecting big guy sending his bag skittering across the lawn. With a dour look on his face, Mark picked up Tiny's bag and headed in the house followed by Chief Anderson without saying a word to anyone. Princess and Jason just looked at each other with concern.

Mark dropped the bags in the hall and trudged to Anderson's study at the back of the house. He plunked himself down in the plush brown leather chair. Anderson gave him a reprimanding look as he went to his desk in front of the floor to ceiling bookcases and took out a letter opener. Anderson carefully read the letter Mark had given him in the car. Then he reread it.

Tugging at his glasses he sat down, "Mark, care to explain this?"

Mark had his elbows on his knees and his fingers laced while staring at the floor tracing patterns in the multicolored antique Persian rug. He said nothing.

"I would expect something like this from Jason, not you."

Mark looked up. "You are so wrong about that. I am just better at hiding it than he is."

"So what are you hiding?"

Mark sighed as he looked at his bandaged hand, the hand he had used to turn off the buzzer once and for all. "I fought the flight simulator and it won."

"You should have gone to the gym and use the proper equipment to vent your frustration." Chief was starting to get angry at Mark's evasiveness.

"Couldn't do that. I deactivated the boxing buddy yesterday."

Concerned that this had been going on for a while an exasperated Anderson probed further, "Mark, you can tell me. I am not going to punish you. The Academy has done that for me by suspending you for two days and making you pay for the damages. I will be taking that from your allowance, by the way."

"Great. So I will be paying for it until I am 40." Mark quipped. He brushed his hair to the side and continued a bit reluctantly, "Chief, I am not going to make it. They might as well have sent the 'you failed' letter. Col. Cronus has been riding me since day one. Nothing I do is right. He makes an example of me every chance he gets. I adjust and then adjust again, but I can't seem to get it right. It's aggravating."

_That's one way to describe him_, thought Anderson as he leaned back in his chair and took off his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose. "How are you really doing in your classes? Is he justified?"

"No. I am at the top of my class. Well, in all except his. In his class I get a different test so who knows what my standing is. I sure don't. His class is a good portion of the trials. I will fail for sure and not because I couldn't actually pass, but because he can't stand me." Mark stood up. "I am sorry I let you down."


	2. Chapter 2

The BOTP characters are not mine, the others are.

Occasional mild language.

Again many thanks go to Pintail for beta reading. Your comments are welcome.

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Chapter 2

Mark kept to himself Friday night after dinner and had shut himself in his room after an early breakfast Saturday. He was lying on his bed staring at the two model planes suspended from the blue ceiling. The Chief had been so calm about the whole thing yesterday. Where was the yelling? He seemed ready to and then all of the sudden he didn't. It was odd. Things had to change and quickly. Mark got up and started to rummage though his desk drawers and the boxes under the bed. 

"Hey mopey, are you grounded or what?" Jason inquired as he pushed open Mark's bedroom door a few hours later.

Mark was sitting at his desk surrounded by piles of left over parts from various model plane projects. He was carefully attaching wires to a remote control circuit board. "Nope, but I'm busy," he replied without looking up as he soldered another wire into place hoping Jason would get the hint.

"I can see that," Jason drawled as he approached and took up a leaning position on the wall ignoring Mark's suggestion. "So, what's up?"

Mark paused from his work, blinking as he tried to adjust his focus to Jason, "I have a plan. If those two are going to fail me anyway I have nothing to loose."

"You still think the Chief knew about this all along?"

Mark gave Jason a look and replied, "Jason, when have you known the Chief _not_ to be involved?"

"Hmm. You gotta point there."

Mark returned to his soldering. Jason picked up one of the circuit boards and Mark reached over and slapped Jason's hand. "Touchy, touchy," Jason joked. "There is one problem with your plan."

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

"I don't see any glue." Jason smirked.

Mark laughed as he recalled the time he glued Jason to a chair to get him to leave him alone in one of the Chief's classes. They had gotten their weapons earlier in the week and Mark had the cuts and bruises to prove it. Jason was taking advantage of Mark's predicament by throwing anything and everything at Mark's bandaged arm whenever he had the chance. Occasionally, when the Chief had his back turned, Jason would get up and give Mark a poke in the arm for good measure. Frustrated and in pain, Mark took action during a break when Jason left the room. Even the Chief thought it was funny, sort of.

-----------------------------

Chief Anderson was shocked to see the pile of papers in his to do box on Monday morning. It was bigger than the pile he had last week. Before digging in he sipped his coffee and looked at the picture on his desk of himself, Mark and Jason taken last year down at the beach. His eyes then shifted to the picture on the wall of himself and four other men dressed in suits, one of which was his good friend Gregory Turner. The picture was taken after he and his friends finished intelligence training at ISIC (Intergallactic School of Intelligence and Cyphering). Mark was starting to resemble his father ever so slightly, at least in looks.

His thoughts shifted to the current situation with his ward. _Maybe I need to change the plan, _Anderson considered. So far, having Cronus as an Acadmey professor had proved worthwhile. Tiny had received the additional flight training he needed to be better equipped for small aircraft. And Mark…he was so sure that Mark could handle the job of commander. He just needed to be certain he was making the right choice. He was sure that Cronus would be able to cajole Mark to react. Mark needed to learn when to respect the rules absolutely and when to bend them ever so slightly. If things went on this way much longer Mark might end up resenting Cronus rather than being his friend and colleague. _And I don't want that, especially if Greg ever gets the opportunity to bond with Mark as his son._

Anderson then noticed the folder marked urgent to the left of his in box, silently chiding himself for not having seen it before. Setting down his coffee he quickly read the file and then reread it. His decision made for him, Anderson immediately picked up his phone and placed a call.

"Cronus, I think we need to alter the plan a bit."

"It's about bloody time. I am ready to knock some serious sense into him, in or out of the gym your choice." Cronus suggested eagerly, maybe a bit too eagerly.

Anderson rolled his eyes. "No that is not what I had in mind."

-----------------------------

Mark strolled back into the dorm on Wednesday morning as if nothing had happened. He had just finished putting away his clothes and was about to open a box on his desk chair when Pete and Tom showed up.

"Hey, you almost ready for class? You wouldn't want to be late would you?" Tom asked.

"Do you think I'm crazy?" Mark smiled a crooked smile.

"You don't really want us to answer that, right?" Pete said with a gleam in his eye.

Mark ignored Pete's attempt to rile him and asked, "Are we still going over Kentin tactics?"

"Yeah, unfortunately," Tom griped. "It never ends. We might even have more combat games today."

"Perfect." Mark grabbed two small metallic objects from the box and his notebook before heading out the door.

Tom groaned, "Uh oh. That confirms it. He is crazy." Pete nodded in agreement.

-----------------------------

Mark took his seat by the window and prepared himself mentally. Pete and Tom took their seats in the row next to Mark. Usually Col. Cronus would be in class by this time taunting the students as they arrived, but today he was conspicuously absent. The whole class was getting antsy. Finally, ten minutes late, Col. Cronus strode into the room followed by a few of the other faculty including the Dean. Pete and Tom looked nervously at Mark. It was too similar to last Friday when Mark decided to vent his frustration on the flight simulator. Mark ignored them.

The Dean addressed the class, "Students, due to circumstances beyond our control we will be starting the in-aircraft portions of trials today." The students groaned. "Now, now. Col. Cronus assures me that you are all ready. Consequently, there will be no classes today. The list indicating your time slot is posted in the commons. The first trials start this afternoon. We wish you all the best of luck."

As soon as the professors were gone a barrage of books came flying in Mark's general direction. "This is all your fault Turner!" many were yelling. Mark deftly deflected the incoming ordnances.

"My fault? I had nothing to do with this!" Mark protested, but no one heard him.

"Yeah right," one kid said. "It's all because you and the Colonel have issues. So now we all suffer." The kid kicked Mark's chair and headed for the commons to learn his fate.

-----------------------------

Mark spent the next hour combing the campus for Col. Cronus. He finally caught up with him out by the old F-15s by landing strip Alpha12.

"Colonel, sir, may I speak with you?" Mark asked. Cronus set down the wrench he was using to make adjustments to his plane and regarded Mark suspiciously.

"Don't you think you should be preparing for your trials?" Cronus looked at his watch. "You only have an hour."

Not surprised Mark confidently replied, "I'm ready."

Cronus raised an eyebrow and looked at Mark carefully. "We'll see about that," he said doubtfully.

Trying not to be rattled by Cronus again, Mark took a deep breath. He was not going to back down. "May I speak candidly, sir?" Cronus nodded in reply, his curiosity piqued.

"I am not going to take anymore of your crap. I am ready for whatever you plan to dish out today. Just know that two can play this game." Mark's jaw was set.

After a few moments of silence Cronus inquired, "That's it? That's all you have to say?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very well then." Cronus smiled as he retuned to making repairs on the plane. Mark was smiling too. This was going to be fun.

-----------------------------

It was a beautiful afternoon. It had rained the night before, a rarity in the desert, and the horizon was free of dust. The sky was a brilliant blue with a few lingering clouds. It was a good day for flying. Tiny, Pete, and Tom were huddled around Mark and his F-15.

Tiny was nervous. Trials had been no fun for him last year and the Colonel liked him. He started pacing in front of Mark's plane.

"Tiny, for crying out loud, stop pacing!" Mark chided.

Tiny stopped and ran his fingers through his hair, "Sorry, Mark. I can't help it."

"You aren't nervous?" Tom asked looking at Mark. "I'm nervous… for you…for me. Especially for me. Who does Cronus think he is kidding? I am so not ready for this." Tom took up the pacing where Tiny left off. Pete grabbed his arm to stop him.

Letting go of Tom's arm Pete said, "Tom, you are always nervous. In fact, you are the most nervous person I know."

"Am not!"

"Are too! Just look at your finger nails!" Pete pointed and Tom quickly shoved his hands into his pockets.

Mark just rolled his eyes. "Guys, this isn't helping anybody." After a few moments of silence Mark said in a serious authoritative tone, "We will all be going to the ceremony next spring. All of us." Pete and Tom nodded with a bit more confidence than before.

"Go get 'em, Mark," Tiny encouraged as he gave Mark a friendly slap on the shoulder.

Mark gave his friends a thumbs up as he climbed into the cock-pit and closed the hatch. Tiny, Pete, and Tom headed towards the stands so they could watch.

"So I guess this means you have five months to find a date huh?" Pete joked. Tom responded by punching him in the arm.

-----------------------------

Mark settled into the cock pit and made several last minute adjustments. After checking all of the systems he removed the backing on the sticky tape on his new toy and stuck the metal board to the dash next to the altimeter. He was ready.

The trials consisted of two parts, a timed course and a combat game. The course, consisting of various altitude and direction changes, was marked with floaters. The pilot had to pass each marker within a certain time. If a floater was missed 10 points would be deducted from the total score of 100 points. If the course was completed in more than five minutes an additional 10 points were deducted. The combat game was simple, get tagged and loose 20 points. Almost everyone gets tagged; so students had to be sure to keep the course run as clean as possible. In all, a student needed 70 points to pass otherwise they packed their bags and headed home.

Cronus was in the tower with the rest of the faculty and Chief Anderson. Anderson was slightly nervous though he did not show it. This was an important test.

"Are you ready Mark?" Cronus asked.

Ready when you are, sir.

"All right then, 3….2….1…time." Mark had the throttle fully engaged and was on the course. He passed by the first two markers without incident. He could see the fourth marker ahead, it was at 8000 feet and he was only 1500. The fifth floater was close to the fourth and back down at 1500 feet. He had just passed the third floater when he pressed a button on his new gadget. As he started to crest at the fourth marker he watched the fifth closely. This was where Cronus liked to mix it up. This is where Mark usually crashed in simulation.

"Let's see if you can make it this time," Cronus muttered as he changed the signal output to floater five. Nothing happened. The floater should have increased altitude and moved closer to floater four. Instead, Mark cruised right by and was on his way to the seventh marker in record time. Cronus smashed his fist on the console. The other faculty stared at him.

Anderson just smiled and said nothing.

"Humph." Cronus flicked another switch to try to change the final marker. By the time he could swear Mark had crossed over the finish line in 3:51 minutes, almost a new course record. Cronus stormed out to his plane for the final phase of the trials.

The rules of the combat games were simple, either tag or get tagged without dropping below 1000 ft within the marked zone that is approximately 10 miles in diameter. Mark was circling at the designated coordinates looking for the arrival of his hunter. Mark caught a glimpse of him behind the mountain range and changed course. He managed to get behind Cronus quickly and kept him there for a good five minutes but could not manage a lock. Cronus was getting tired of this game so he banked left sharply close to perimeter and headed for the sun.

"Shit!" Mark yelped as he tried to follow but could not turn hard enough and still stay in the zone. He knew it was a matter of seconds before Cronus was on his tail unless he did something. He rolled and turned in the opposite direction as if he was running away.

"What are you doing?" Cronus asked himself as he looked around and saw no sign of Mark. He leveled off and turned as he came to the edge of the zone on the other side. Mark had disappeared into the clouds. "Okay, if that is how you are going to play …" Cronus turned on the radar and headed straight for the center of the clouds. The tracking system was not allowed in regular combat games or the trials, but the Colonel never played by the rules.

Mark noticed the orange light on his self-made monitor light up. He smiled as he turned on his radar. "Come and get me."

"What the hell are they doing?" Tom asked from his seat in the stands. "We can't see a darn thing."

"Not to mention how incredibly dangerous it is to go into cloud cover in those old planes," Tiny said gritting his teeth. "Why they let us fly those death traps I'll never know."

Cronus had entered the bank of clouds on a direct intercept course, and then he lost the signal. "Damn this thing! Why can't I use my own plane?" He grumbled. He kept on his course but found nothing in his path. He started to circle looking for his prey. He was sure Mark was still in there somewhere.

"There he is!" Pete shouted pointing as Mark popped out from the western edge of the clouds. "Now where is the basta…Colonel?" Pete stuttered. The physics professor standing near by gave Pete a reprimanding look.

Mark circled the clouds at a distance and pushed a button on his special monitor. In seconds Cronus erupted into the open sky towards his newly acquired target. Just as he did he saw his query facing him head on and heard the incessant beeping.

Tag you're it, Colonel Mark said over the communication channel.

The crowd below erupted in a cacophony of cheers.

Cronus had already landed and was standing by his plane waiting for Mark. Suppressing the urge to smile too broadly, Mark approached the Colonel.

"Well done, Mark. You pass." Cronus said with a crooked smile as he reached out to shake Mark's hand. Mark took the offered hand and then walked closer to the Colonel's plane. He pulled a small metallic object from the underside near the cockpit. He tossed it to Cronus with a smile.

"Thanks. I enjoyed the challenge."

The Colonel let out a hearty laugh as he examined the object. "Very clever. I ought to reprimand you for illegal equipment use during the trials, but I think I will pass on that for today." Cronus was impressed, and that is not an easy thing to do.

Mark nodded as a mutual understanding had been established between the student and the teacher. He started to walk towards the stands when he turned and said, "Oh yeah, say hi to Chief Anderson when you see him." Cronus chuckled quietly to himself as he pocketed the beacon and headed in the opposite direction to the Tower.

-----------------------------

At the end of the long day the faculty was gathered in the Admiral's Club, a lounge for the faculty, discussing the events of the day. Unlike the lounge for the students, this lounge was well appointed with rich golden walls and deep wood tones, a leather couch and several club chairs. This lounge also had a well stocked bar.

"Well, are you satisfied?" Chief Anderson asked his friend when they had a moment alone while handing him a glass of scotch.

"Are you? You are the one who thinks he can lead your little group." Cronus retorted trying to hide his real feelings as he took a sip of his drink. Anderson gave him a stern look. Cronus, not wanting to get into the usual conversation, relented, "He didn't react the way I would have, but he didn't roll over either. He is also one hell of a pilot. So yes, I am satisfied." He handed Anderson the small transmitter Mark had built.

Tucking the object into to his pocket for later review, Anderson chuckled, "Thank God he didn't react the way you would. If he did I am not sure the Academy would still be standing." Anderson smiled, recalling one intelligence mission they had gone on together in their early days that ended in the destruction of a small village. Cronus had said it was an accident, but Anderson was never quite sure given the small smile he had seen in his friend's eyes. Michael considered the events of the last several months. "I am mostly pleased with how Mark handled this. He still needs time to develop his leadership skills, but overall he has the traits and skills I need."

"Hopefully we won't need him at all. I leave tomorrow to follow up on last week's lead."

Anderson drained the last of his scotch. "We can always hope."


End file.
